by Fawn Lowery
He moved so quickly she didn’t comprehend until she felt the cushion of the couch beneath her back. He straddled her body, his long shaft hot and moist on its rounded tip. She splayed one leg across the back of the couch and reached for him as he sank between her thighs and rammed his hard cock inside her cunt.
She gasped and arched her back as his long length filled her passageway. She dug her nails into his buttocks, feeling the ropy muscles knotted beneath the smooth skin. She raised her buttocks to meet his thrusts as he began to move.
His lunges were fierce, as though he were claiming her forever. She bit her lip and stared up at him. His face was darkly handsome in the shadow of the lamplight at the end of the couch. His expression was unreadable—though she sensed he was reveling in his victory over her. She smiled a knowing smile. Who was being victorious over whom?
The orgasm surprised her all at once, zinging through her insides with lightening force. She felt her belly curl and then release, her muscles tensed, her fingertips dug deeper into his buttocks. She closed her eyes and savored the sensations streaming though her insides. Vampire or not—Marcus was a good fuck.
* * * *
The sex was incredible. Ronna combed one hand through her hair. Was it written somewhere that a witch couldn’t fall in love with a vampire?
Perhaps in Drucella’s book.
A blast of cold air entered the room as Marcus came through the front door. Ronna glanced up, staring at him as she realized he held something—or someone—in his arms. She scrambled to her feet suddenly, backing across the room to safety.
“Marcus?” Her words died on the cold breeze infiltrating the large room.
Marcus released his armload into the floor. A scruffy man no bigger than a small boy pulled angrily at the hold Marcus retained on his right arm.
“This is Pemi, Drucella’s slave. I found him outside the castle walls.”
The small man stared up at Marcus, his body quivering in fright, his stance that of a child planning to flee at the first chance.
“Please, vampire. Please release me.”
Ronna felt the apprehension the poor creature harbored. She approached carefully, her eyes on the disheveled looking person. He looked to be about middle-aged with a gray beard and long unkempt hair. His clothes were rags and soiled with suet. He smelled worse than a garbage heap.
He turned his gaze on Ronna as she approached, backing up against Marcus at first, until he realized he was trapped between what appeared to be two evils. He jerked his arm, trying to free himself from Marcus' grasp, only to be pulled in front of Marcus as Ronna drew near.
“Please don’t hurt me!” He threw up his free hand. “Please!”
Can he help us, Marcus?
He lives in the castle with Drucella. Surely he knows of the secret passage else he would never have escaped his mistress’ evil watch.
Does he have any powers?
No. Drucella stole him from the village when he was a child. She cursed his height—keeping him child-size so he would fear her. He wants only to escape and return to his family.
Ronna locked gazes with Marcus. She doubted that the little man could live in Morganford without Drucella coming in search of him. How, then, could he be of help to them?
“I will tell you the witch’s secret—if you will set me free.”
“The witch’s secret? Pray tell, what might that be?” Marcus' voice sounded amused. He winked one dark eye at Ronna.
Pemi turned frightened eyes on Ronna. He pointed a grimy hand at her. “You are the witch Drucella fears.”
Surprise shot through Ronna’s insides.
“And you are the vampire Drucella vows revenge upon.” He pointed toward Marcus. “She watches the manor in her gazing pot. She sees all that you do.” He laughed suddenly, a high-pitched shriek that echoed inside the room. “She swears when you rut with the yellow haired witch. She is manifesting a spell to bind you forever. This time you will not escape her wrath.”
“Tell me of the secret passages inside her castle.”
“Master, there is but one. It lies deep within the walls and is only accessible when the tide is low.”
He grew still, silent, staring up at Marcus with imploring eyes.
Ronna felt an overwhelming flood of sadness engulf her as she stared at Pemi. He looked so downcast and hopeless.
You must let him go.
Drucella will come for him when she discovers he is missing. She will destroy him when she finds him. He cannot survive outside the walls of her castle.
Perhaps he could stay here.
Dark brows lifted in question.
You do not know what you risk, my sweet.
Ronna bit her lip. The poor creature had suffered terribly at the hands of Drucella. His very presence filled the room with remorse and dread.
Then take him somewhere—change into a bat and fly off with him to another land, Marcus.
She had barely released the thought to Marcus when she watched him lift the small man into his arms and vanish from the room. She blinked her eyes, wondering if she had imagined the whole episode.
I will return, Ronna.
Thank you, Marcus.
She sat on the couch and thought about the fairy that had appeared and then vanished into thin air, the capture of Pemi, and Marcus telling her that she could fly. It was a hodgepodge of thoughts, each somehow overriding the other as they came about. Had it not been for the fact that she knew she was in that strange place, she would surely believe she was dreaming. Tiny fairies sitting inside a circle of fire—how weird could her imagination get?
She yawned suddenly and stretched her arms over her head. She had gotten little sleep last night and so far she had proven useless to Marcus, never mind that she couldn’t figure out how to go home on her own. She glanced at the amulet nestled between her breasts. She recalled Marcus' hand on it just moments before all hell seemed to break loose. She picked the amulet up, gazing at it as it lay on her open hand.
She had always been intrigued by it and she had never seen any other amulet to rival it. When she was a child she kept the necklace hidden inside her shirt or blouse, afraid that if any of the children at the orphanage saw it, they would try and take it from her. She shrugged her shoulders. Not a single person had noticed she wore it.
Her brows drew together. Was there something magical about its being around her neck? Apparently yes since Marcus seemed to know something about it. And Drucella alleged that she wore the amulet. She thought then of the old book Marcus had stolen from Drucella. If only she could get it open. Perhaps the amulet was mentioned on one of its yellowed pages.
“Marcus believes I can fly.”
She accessed her own words for a moment. It had only been recently that she discovered she could raise her body off the floor. Could that discovery be prelude to her being able to fly? How would she know?
Her brows drew together. If only she had kin that she could ask questions of.
A chill suddenly filled the room. She shivered and clasped her arms across her chest. Darting her eyes around the room, she searched for anything out of the ordinary—the reason for the sudden drop in temperature.
“Drucella is your kin.”
Ronna jerked her head round at the sound of the high-pitched voice.
“You should go to her and leave the treacherous vampire to his own fate. No good can come out of your allegiance to him.”
She saw her then, perched in her tiny ball of glowing fire, Tiana. Ronna moved slowly off the couch. If she could get close enough to the tiny creature, she intended to trap her in a spell of fire. One wave of her hand and the little fairy would land in the hearth, her little ball of blazing fire merging with the flames dancing across the logs. She would perish along with the smoldering embers when the fire burned out.
“Why do you tell me this? What is it to you what I do?”
Tiana darted across the room suddenly, her precarious ride inside the burning orb leaving a trail of bla
ck smoke in its wake.
Ronna followed the burning orb with her eyes. Perhaps the devil’s fairy was too smart to get caught by an amateur witch. She grinned in spite of things. If only she could figure out how to access her powers.
“Drucella sent me to issue you an invitation to visit.”
Ronna laughed out loud.
“You think I don’t know she wants to kill me?”
“You need only to leave this manor for her to reconcile her feelings toward you. She is willing to discuss the matter. Come morning, she will be expecting you.”
The fiery sphere darted to the far side of the room, hovering near the door leading to the courtyard.
Ronna crossed the room toward the ball of fire, her eyes squinting to see the tiny figure. She was very minuscule, with gossamer wings in shades of purple and pale umber. She appeared to hover inside the ring of fire, her tiny wings beating rapidly as though keeping the orb in the air. The thought occurred to Ronna then that the globe was the fairy’s protective shield against any spell she might interpose upon her.
Drucella is leaving nothing to chance.
“Tell Drucella to get fucked!”
The blazing ball darted about the room and suddenly disappeared.
CHAPTER 10
“What did you do with him?”
“It is best that you do not know.” He stroked her cheek with one long finger. “Know only that he is safe.”
Ronna reached up and caught his fingers, halting his caressing her cheek. Only sex could come out of his touch and after the events of the night, she was hardly in the mood for more sex play with him—regardless of how fulfilling it was.
“Drucella sent her messenger to me again. She wants me to come to her castle.”
Marcus' stance grew rigid. “It’s a trap. Do not be fooled by her offer of friendship.”
Ronna crossed the room to stand near the fireplace. She could sense Marcus' anger, see the rigidity of his stance. She knew he was riled by the condescending offer from Drucella.
“What are we going to do, Marcus?”
He bridged the distance between them so quickly that Ronna gasped when he reached out and took hold of her shoulders. “We’re going to sneak into her castle and find my brothers. Then, once they are awakened, we will end Drucella’s life forever.”
He drew her against his chest and held her tightly. She released a sigh of relief. He sounded so positive that she had little reason to doubt him.
“I must leave you soon. The sky grows light.” He pushed her to arms length and stared down at her. “Do not leave the fortress and be on guard against any more of Drucella’s tricks.” He pulled her back into his strong embrace. He caressed her hair with one hand.
Ronna nestled her head against his strong shoulder and closed her eyes. She needed to sleep, to regain her strength before facing any more of Drucella’s threats. She felt soothed by Marcus' attention.
* * * *
The sun was low in the sky when Ronna awakened. She stretched and threw back the covers on the bed. Levering herself to a sitting position, she gazed about the sun-lit room. She was in bed alone and the door was bolted. Finally agreeing that nothing out of the ordinary had taken place since she had been asleep, she set her feet on the floor and got out of bed.
Mentally she reminded herself that she had been at Marcus' house for two nights and one day. She had allowed him to bite her neck—to drink her blood—and she had given herself to him for sexual purposes. On this second day, she hoped they could come to terms about what to do with Drucella. She was anxious to get home and back to a normal life.
“Witches don’t have normal lives.”
She dressed and gathered her hair into a ponytail on the back of her head. Just once she’d like to be in control of things. Alas, it didn’t seem to be the pattern her life was taking. Something was always amiss, or cropping up at the last minute.
She thought suddenly of her encounter with Marcus.
“Who knew I’d meet a vampire and have hot sex with him?”
She contemplated her growing feelings for Marcus. How far could their relationship go—with him being one of the undead and she a witch destined to stumble through life not fully understanding her powers? Could they be happy together? After all, he was immortal and she was not. How wonderful could that be?
Her brows drew together.
Marcus could change her into one of the undead. He had the ability.
She felt cold suddenly. The thought of such a life-altering event chilled her to the bone.
She hurried from the bedroom, her mind made up to separate herself from Marcus just as soon as possible. Once they found his brothers and awakened them, he would let her return home. She would put him out of her mind then. She would force herself to find a mortal boyfriend and begin a new affair—a romantic affair that would fulfill all her desires for a happy life.
She raced down the staircase—only to come to a stumbling halt when she spied the woman seated on the couch.
Blond hair lay softly about her shoulders and framed a lovely face with deep-set violet eyes. Rose-colored lips and crimson stained cheeks gave her an alluring appearance. A suit of emerald green crushed velvet clung to her ample figure. She turned a smiling face on Ronna as she stepped from the stairwell into the room.
“I came to talk.”
“You’re wasting your time.”
Drucella’s violet colored eyes stole to the amulet hanging around Ronna’s neck. A look of total agitation wreathed her face.
“We are of the same coven. We are sisters.”
“I don’t have any sisters. I’m an orphan.”
An arched brow lifted. “You cannot deny the brethren of the dark power. It is your heritage.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Drucella rose from the couch. Her green dress billowed around her body, rustling as she moved toward Ronna.
Ronna took a step back, putting distance between herself and the evil witch. If only Marcus was there—if for nothing other than moral support. She bit her bottom lip. She hoped the witch didn’t try casting any spells over her. She sucked in a deep breath and mentally vowed to die before falling victim to her will.
“The amulet you wear around your neck—it is one of seven.”
Ronna inched toward the door of the room as Drucella drew closer. Any moment she could cast a spell and make the entire manor cave in on top of them. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the thought.
“We are the seven Morganford witches. We have received special powers from the dark one. He has granted us many wishes and bestowed many treasures unto us.”
She raised her hand suddenly and Ronna instantly ducked should she send any sort of dark magic shooting forth.
“There is no need for you to fear me, my dear. We are kin. I come in peace. I wish for your return to the coven—to learn your craft to your advantage.”
There was a condescending tone in her voice. Ronna propped her hands on her hips and glared at her.
“You are the devil’s servant.”
“He is our benefactor.”
“You do his work. You imprison people—innocent people.”
She heaved an audible sigh and squared her shoulders. “Marcus betrayed me. I had no choice.”
“You’re a woman scorned.”
She smiled slowly. “You are from the future and thus do not understand the culture of this time. A man does not betray his intended.”
“Marcus did not return your love, Drucella. I know all about your reason for sentencing him to a fate worse than death.”
She hissed, opening her mouth and rolling her tongue like a cat. Her eyes blazed for a second before she waved one hand and set the couch on fire with a red blast.
Ronna gasped and ran for the door.
Laughter sounded behind her and before she could pull the heavy door back on its hinges, Drucella darted in front of her.
“You don’t know what you’re getting
yourself into, Ronna from Brooklyn. You will be dead at my hands before the next sunrise!”
Ronna shrieked and stumbled back into the room, falling against a chair and landing in the floor. She scrambled back on her hands and feet, her eyes holding the figure stalking her across the room.
“Is he worth it? Is Marcus worth losing your life over?”
Think! Think of a spell! Cast the bitch into hell!
“Can’t you find a mortal man to couple with? Why must you lay with a vampire—he is one of the undead! There is no future with him—only murderous rampages to sustain a blood appetite.”
Her lips were curled around her teeth—her face was contorted into a sneering angry animal. Ronna watched her hands as she raised her arms. Long black nails grew from her fingertips. She waved one arm and flung her hand, sending a towering mass of black goop sluicing across the walls of the room. She laughed loudly, making her actions seem that much more evil. She swung her head to one side and summoned a torrent of water to crash from the stairwell, soaking the furnishings and racing toward Ronna.
Ronna bounded to her feet, racing to the door, her heart pounding. Why couldn’t she think? Had her brain gone completely blank in the wake of the danger Drucella posed. Oh God! She grasped the latch on the door and wrenched it open. Spying the open courtyard, she sprinted through the opening.
A loud cackle of laughter sounded behind her. She glanced over her shoulder—fearing Drucella was sending a monster after her. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her ankle and felt her body tumbling on the ground. She crashed on her belly, slamming hard against the ground and loosing her breath.
For a moment she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. She was at Drucella’s mercy. She tried to roll to her back. If she was going to die—at least she wanted to see it coming. Her body felt bruised from the fall, her heart hammered against her chest in a wild tattoo of panic.
Bright sunlight nearly blinded her as she rolled over and stared upward, expecting to see Drucella hurling herself at her. Seconds passed—horrible seconds filled with fear and blinding sunlight—